how to gain standing up endurance?

[tireheb]

how do pros manage to climb so much time out of the saddle??? thats the question basically.

im a small rider, good at climbs. but i always tend to climb seated. from time to time i get off the saddle but usually for not more than 15 seconds. kinda like a rest. this is how i have always climbed. but i see pros and some locals beeing able to climb off the saddle for 15 minutes or even more. so how do you develope that skill? you just go out and start ridin off the sadle during climbs? is it that simple? or am i missing something?
i was really amazed of this local person that has a way bigger weight/size relation than me (and hence really good on flats) follow me and pass me at the end of a 16minute climb. all the climb off the saddle.

im intrigued. thanks for the input people.

also. if you train a lot off the saddle. can it damage your climbing in the saddle power ? or its like two different weapons. cause yes i know they use different chain of muscles.

ive googled this but get very few info. i cant be the only one in this boat no?

[boots2000]

Simple answer is to do climbs out of the saddle. A good way to start might be to do that 15 minute climb one minute standing and one minute seated. Work up from there. Also shorter and harder efforts out of sthe saddle.
Watch some of the EF training camp videos on Youtube. They do a decent job of breakaing down body position. Many have poor technique out of the saddle. This causes you to bleed energy and go slower. Don't climb out of the saddle like you are on a stepper machine at the gym

[DanW]

A common mistake IME is that people think riding out of the saddle means sprinting and quickly burn out so they spend most of the time sat down. Riding out of the saddle can be very relaxing and give the body a good bit of relief by changing position.

The only way is to do it little by little. Your arms and legs will soon get used to it and you will soon find a sustainable rhythm. But... you have to stick with climbing out of the saddle and play a little with gearing and body position to find what works.

Alternatively ride a rigid singlespeed off road and you'll very quickly learn that you can gurn your way up some impossible looking climbs in highly inappropriate gears

[thewoodsman]

all good advice. if you are looking to train this off the bike, you need anaerobic endurance. track workouts, hill sprints, body weight hiit workouts (rockets, bench/box jumps, squats/split squats), and single leg variations. also don't ignore the hammys...reverse squats, nordic curls, etc...

[kode54]

I ramp up gradually. Find a nearby hill...set your sights on a landmark and extend that landmark once you achieve your goal. You'll gradually increase your stamina climbing out of the saddle. Or do what I did...when my seat clamp snapped, I had to be out of the saddle for 10 miles back home. LOL

[CasualRider]

Practice is the only way. Make sure to learn how to climb out of the saddle first, this is very important step that 90% of riders get wrong simply because it feels wrong at the begginning. Do not climb a ladder! Move your body forward, chin in front of the bar, lower your body, bend your arms, push and pull gently, relax your feet, let the hill move more freely, pedal more towards your back wheel rather just down, use your body weight to produce power, move your bike side to side not the body. Watch Youtube videos, there are some good ones.

Polish your technique by practicing. And learn how to control your power, this step is very important, start with maybe 50% of ftp first. After a few sessons you should be able to do 70% of your FTP for a few mins our of the saddle withough getting too fatigued or HR going up too much.

Riding out of the saddle is one of the most important skills in cycling and homehow most riders think they're climbing a ladder on the bike instead of doing it properly, lol.

Just my 2 cents.

[DirtiousDirte]

Practice, for sure.

But also the last while I have been doing wall sits with progressively longer times per set and I have found it has really helped with how solid I feel standing.